Improvement in illuminating public clocks



T. ll BAlLlY.-

Illuminating Public Clock.

Patented Dec. l2, 1865.

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IUNITED STATES PATENT Carien.

THOMAS IVES BAILEY, OF NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE.

IMPROVEMENT IN ILLUMINATING PUBLIC CLOCKS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 51,411, dated Decemberl2, 1865.

To all whom t may concern Be it known that I, THOMAS Ivns BAILEY, ofNashville, in the county of Davidson and State of Tennessee, haveinvented a new and useful Improvement in Illuminating Public Clocks; andI do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription thereof, which will enable those skilled in the art to makeand use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings,forming part of this specification, in which- Figure 1 is a longitudinalsection of my improvement, taken in the line a: a", Fig. 2; Fig. 2, anexternal view of the same; Fig. 3, a front view of the hands or pointersof a clock provided with my improvement.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

My invention consists in a new method of illuminating public clocks, bywhich, among others, the following advantages are obtained: First, thetime may be seen at a distance far greater than by the present mode,consequently their efficiency will be largely increased; second, theiroriginal cost will be much reduced, no expensive glass dials beingneeded; third, a great saving is effected in the consumption of gas;and, fourth, an entire freedom from the danger of explosion, the gasbeing consumed only on the outside of the building.

My invention consists in placing lights upon the hands or pointers of aclock, instead of behind the dials, as heretofore, and which Iaccomplish by making the spindles and sockets that carry the hands inpart hollow, so that a stream of gas may be conveyedthrough saidspindles and sockets to the center, and also to near the extremity ofeach hand, and ter minating in smallburners orjets. These jets I protectby means of a lantern or covering, glazed with talc, hornfglass, orother suitable material, the center one being stained to show a closedlight, so that it may be distinguished from the others, andtherespective portions of the hand or pointer lights readily seen, so as toindicate the time.

In order to facilitate the cleaning or repairing of said lamps or jets,and also to provide for the freedom or inshake necessary inclockmachinery, I construct some portion of the tubes that convey thegas of india-rubber or other iiexible material.

A represents the minute-hand spindle of a turret-clock, leading oft'from the center work to the hands in the usual manner, but in part madehollow, as shown at a, and upon which a conical plug, B, is fitted andsecured so as to turn with it. This plug is made precisely similar tothose used by gas-fitters in an ordinary swing-joint, having an annularspace, p p, for the passage of gas, and opening into the pipe or spindleA.

C is a boss surrounding the plug B, and to which it is accuratelyground. This boss receives the end of the supply-pipe D, and isprevented from turning with the plug by means of projections or ears b,fixed to its exterior at opposite sides, and resting upon a bracket, DX,or other fixture. The plug B and boss() together form an air-tightjoint, and are kept together by the nut E.

To insure the lateral freedom or inshake necessary for the minute-handspindle and its connections with the clockmachinery, the pipe D isconnected with the common servicepipe by means of the flexible tube F.

The action of this much of the apparatus is as follows The plugBrevolves with the spindle A, and, by means of the annular space andopenings pp, permits an uninterrupted ow of gas to pass in the dirctionof the arrows to the central burner, G, and the minute-hand burner H.

In order to provide for cleaning or repairs to lamps or burners, I makea part of the tubes J and K, leading from the center to the burners Hand L, of india-rubber or other flexible material, so they can readilybe removed and operated upon through an opening in the dial provided forthat purpose.

The hour-hand is carried by the socket M M, formed in every respectsimilar to the plug B and its connections C D EF, except that it isseparate from the spindle A, but revolves around it, and is providedwith a space or chamber, x, connecting the flexible-pipe K with theannular space and servicepipe, and through which gas will iiow to thehour-hand burner L.

O O are counterpoises.

forth.

3. The chamber m, formed in the hour-hand. socket, the ears b on thebosses C, and the bracket or xture D X, for the purpose specified.

THOMAS IVES BAILEY.

used in the manner und for the purpose set

